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℅ Mr. Crosher          C129/130

                            12 Blue Cross St.
                                  Haymarket,
                                              S.W.
                                          Aug. 29/81.

Dear Mrs Nichol,

                        I have to thank
you many times for your
extremely kind gift, and
will add that it came very
opportunely, as I needed a
suit of clothes which I have
since purchased.

            I have been in London
about 4 months, that is I
arrived about May 3rd from
    America and my reasons
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for leaving the Western
Continent were these, there
is still an undercurrent
of feeling pervading through-
out the U.S. against a "man
of colour" on a/c of the spirit
of engendered by slavery not being yet
wiped out, and being born
here I thought I could do
better here. I am now
earning 12s. a week and
have been employed about
a month, previous to which
  I got considerably into debt
    for board + lodging which
      I have not since been
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able to pay off insomuch
that it has worried me
considerably greatly on my creditors
persistently "dunning" me
for the money.

      I thought that if you
would kindly advance me
a few pounds & trust to
my honesty, when I obtain
a better situation I can
repay the loan. Please do
not be annoyed at my
request. & I should be
pleased to have a line
from you when convenient
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and will be more than
pleased if permitted to
write to you often, but on
athe strength of being worried
so much of late, I am not
at present a very good
correspondent.

    Trusting to hear from you
soon, again thanking you for
your kindness, and hoping
you are in the best of health.

  I have the honor to remain

                        Yr. obt. & grateful servant
                                        W. I. Craft.

P.S. I hope to see you before long & if
I thought I could find employment
would come at once.